More work needed to truly address this community crisis.

MADISON - Today we reached some of our communities with the HOPE agenda to battle the opioid crisis, but Republicans took a pass on reaching everyone.

While I supported the proposals because they are a good first step, my colleagues and I offered amendments to make the HOPE agenda better. Expanding Wisconsin’s BadgerCare program to families not currently covered helps individuals have access to substance abuse and addiction treatment. These are people that have no health care now, and zero access to any treatment even after all of these bills are enacted.

Additionally, I offered an amendment to raise the state reimbursement rates for substance abuse treatment providers to try to help address the lack of health care providers in our rural communities. While our amendments to make these proposal better were not accepted, this agenda has passed and there is help for some people on the way.

We all know there is still work needed to truly address this community crisis in every corner of the state.

***

Statement from Senator Jon Erpenbach on passage of the HOPE agenda today.